NBA Cup Showdown: Top Bets & Predictions for Kyrie Irving, Jalen Suggs Today!

The NBA Cup’s elimination rounds kick off Tuesday evening, featuring games between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Orlando Magic, and the Dallas Mavericks versus the Oklahoma City Thunder in the quarterfinals.

Milwaukee and Oklahoma City are the favorites to win these games. However, the Mavericks are entering this contest with a momentum of seven consecutive victories and have recorded the highest net rating in the league over their past 10 games.

The Magic face a challenging matchup against the Bucks, especially since key players Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero are sidelined with oblique injuries, severely impacting the team’s offensive capabilities.

In terms of betting on this NBA Cup doubleheader, I’m looking at three different prop bets, including one involving a player who has recently taken on a more significant role.

Here’s a detailed analysis of Tuesday’s betting options!

NBA Best Bets Performance Overview

• 2024-25 season record: 74-72-3 (+0.30 units)
• Overall (since the 2021-22 season): 1084-1017-25 (+38.40 units)

You can find Peter Dewey’s NBA betting history here (including futures). Follow my daily picks on BetStamp here.

Top NBA Picks for Today

Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Jalen Suggs OVER 20.5 Points (-115) – 0.5 unit
• Kyrie Irving OVER 21.5 Points (-125) – 0.5 unit
• PJ Washington OVER 6.5 Rebounds (-125) – 0.5 unit

Jalen Suggs OVER 20.5 Points (-115) – 0.5 unit

With Banchero and Wagner out, Jalen Suggs has become the primary scorer for Orlando. He’s been impressive recently, scoring 26 points against the Phoenix Suns and totaling 48 points in his last two games, taking 37 shots during those contests.

While Suggs averages 16.0 points per game for the season with a shooting accuracy of 41.2%, his increased volume of shots and a favorable matchup against the Bucks, who have allowed the most points per game to point guards this season (28.2), suggest he’s likely to surpass his points prop.

Suggs is expected to excel given his heavy offensive load for a depleted Magic team.

Kyrie Irving OVER 21.5 Points (-125) – 0.5 unit

Following a less-than-ideal playoff series last season against Oklahoma City, Kyrie Irving is poised for a strong performance tonight. This season, he’s averaging 24.3 points per game, shooting 50.4% from the field and 47.0% from three-point range, yet his points prop is set at just 21.5 tonight.

Despite Oklahoma City’s top defensive rating, Irving has scored at least 22 points in 15 of his 22 games this season.

Although his average shots per game have decreased from last season, his accuracy from beyond the arc has been outstanding. With OKC likely focusing defensively on Luka Doncic, Irving may need to shoulder a significant offensive load.

PJ Washington OVER 6.5 Rebounds (-125) – 0.5 unit

Dallas forward PJ Washington is pulling down an average of 8.3 rebounds per game this season, with 13.1 rebound opportunities per game. Although he’s currently questionable for tonight’s game, his performance in rebounding makes him a strong bet if he participates.

Facing an OKC team that ranks low in rebounding stats, Washington has secured seven or more rebounds in 12 of his 19 games this season, including double-digit boards in eight games.

Odds are updated periodically and may change.

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